Acetylene-gas-generating apparatus.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

J. J. HENDLER.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13 1901.

UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 190 1.

Price.

ATENT ACETYLENE-GAS-GENERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,580, dated December 27, 1904.

Application filed November 13, 1901. Serial No. 82,158. 6

To all IU/LOWT/ it ntay concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN J. HENDLER, of Kansas City, in the county Jackson. in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene apparatus, having more particular reference to connecting with a gasometer the acetylene-gas generators shown and described in Letters Patent No. 667,714, issued to me February 12, 1901, and in my application for Letters Patent filed May 8, 1901, Serial No. 59,275, and to improvements in the generators set out therein; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of the generator and gasometer substantially on the line 11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same, the cap for closing the gas and water chamber and the top of the water-reservoir being removed. Fig. 3 represents a detail side elevation of the tripping device by which the valve in the mainpipe leading from the generator to the gasometer is opened and closed.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents a gasometer of the usual construction used in handling acetylene gas, exccpt that in the usual construction the partition E2 in the water-seal chamber does not extend to the bottom of the chamber, whereas I preferably extend said partition to the bottom, as shown, formingaseparate chamber 3 for a purpose to be hereinafter noted.

4 represents the gas and water chamber of an acetylene-generator, the same being closed by a cap 5. In said chamber is mounted at a distance above the bottom a generating-chain ber 6, provided with a centrally-located tube or pipe 7, communicating through the bottom of said chamber with the water in chamber 4. Thepassage through said tube '7 is diminished by a wire or rod 8, inserted therein, the flow of water through the tube being determined and regulated by the size of the rod 8. In said generating-chamber is mounted a series of carbid-holders 9, arranged one above the other, said holders being formed with a central annular opening 10 of such size that when the holders are placed in position there is provided an annular water-space 11 between the pipe 7 and the inner wall of said holders. Said holders are divided by partitions 12 .into compartments or separated carbid-cups a 0, and each cup or compartment has separate or individual communication with the waterspace 11 through inlet-openings 13 in the inner wall or casing of the holder, said inletopenings being placed at successively higher points in the casing. By thus providing a series of carbid-holders instead of a single vessel for the carbid the removal of the holder for emptying out the residuum and for recharging is greatly facilitated, and by dividing said holders into compartments each having separate water-inlets and at successively higher points a smaller quantity of carbid is at any one time subjected to the action of the water, thereby preventing excessive generation of gas and overheating and wasteful burning and'crusting of the carbid, for said inlet water-openings being so disposed at successively higher points the carbid in one cup or compartment will be exhausted and flooded before the water is admitted to the next succeeding cup. An opening 1 1 is provided in the outer margin of each cup to facilitate the escape of the gas.

15 represents a water-reservoirsurrounding the upper part of the gas and water chamber and communicating therewith near its bottom through a pipe 16, a restricted flow of water from the water-reservoir to said chamber being provided by a small inlet-opening 17 near the bottom of the reservoir and a free flow of water from said chamber to the reservoir under pressure of the gas through the open end 18 of said pipe 16. In operation the water flows from the reservoir to the gas and water chamber, filling said chamber until the water overflows from pipe 7 into the generatingchamber, and will rise therein and flow-successively into the several carbid-cups through the inlet-openings 13.

19 represents the main pipe leading from the generator. Said pipe connects,through a purifier 20 of any familiar or usual construetionas, for example, a dust-filterwith a supplypipe 21, leading to the burners, and with a pipe 22, leading to the gasometer-bell 23. Said purifier may, however, be omitted and the connection made with a simple T-union, if desired. In said main pipe 19, between the generator and the purifier or connection with the supply-pipe21, is mounted a shut-off valve 24, provided with a pin-wheel upon its valvestem and arranged to be opened and closed by the fall and rise of the gasometer-bell, the construction being as follows: Upon the gasometer-bell is mounted an arm 26, carrying a bifurcated stem 27. Upon the branch 28 of said stem is pivotally mounted a tripping-finger 29, arranged to engage the pin-wheel, a shoulder 30 being provided on said branch to limit the rotation of said finger in one direction and cause it to rotate the pin-wheel and open the valve as the gasometer goes down. On the branch 31 is pivotally mounted a tripping-finger 32, arranged to engage said pin-wheel on the opposite side, a shoulder 33 being provided to limit the rotation of said finger in one direction and cause it to rotate the pinwheel and close the valve as the gasometerbell goes up. Said fingers are permitted to rotate freely in the directions which carry them away from their respective stop-shoulders, so that one will not interfere with the operation of the other. Also said finger 29 should be heavier at the outer end and said finger 32 should be heavier at its inner end, so that each will hang normally in operative position and relation.

34 represents a relief-pipe leading from the generator to the seal-chamber 3 of the gasorneter. ithin the generator a shield 35 is provided, covering the mouth of relief-pipe 34 and extending downward a short distance below the top of the waterinlet pipe 7.

In normal action, the gasometer-bell being down, the water admitted to the generatingchamber and the gas generated, the valve 24. being open, the gas will pass through pipes 19 and 22 to the gasometer-bell, which as it rises under pressure of the gas will by the action of the tripping-finger 32 close the valve 2st. Then the passage of the gas through pipe 19 being cut off, the pressure of the gas in the generator will force the water back and down below the inlet of the shield 35, when the gas will under pressure flow through pipe 34 to the seal-chamber 3 and thence to the gasometerbell; but the inlet to the shield 35 is below the level of the top of the waterinlet pipe 7, so that when the gas forces the water back and flows to pipe 34: the supply of water to the carbid is out off and further generation of gas for the time ceases. Now if the gas be turned on at the burners and lighted the demand at the burners will be supplied from the gasometer through pipe 22 and supply-pipe 21 until the gasometerbell falls the tripping-finger 29 opens the valve 24 and the gas from the generator is again permitted to flow through pipe 19. Then as the pressure in the generator is relieved the water will rise and again overflow from pipe 7 and the generation of gas will be resumed, and the gas to the burners will be supplied from the generator through pipe 19, and as the supply of the gas in the generator under pressure therein becomes greater than the supply required at the burners the surplus gas will flow through pipe 22 to the gasometer-bell and the bell will rise, closing valve 24, and the operation above described will be repeated.

By the construction and arrangement above described the supply of gas to one or ten or twenty or any desired number of burners is automatically regulated and uniform pressure at the burners is constantlymaintained, while if ten or any number of burners should be suddenly turned off while receiving their gas direct from the generator through pipe 19 the only effect would be that the surplus gas would flow to the gasometer-bell until the valve 2a was closed and the gas-pressure in the generator forced back the water and stopped further generation of gas, as before described, and the flame at one or more burners not turned off would be scarcely, if at all, affected by the sudden change of conditions.

Before opening the generator for recharging or other purpose if the gasometer-bell is down the valve as should be closed by hand to prevent the gas escaping through pipe 19 from the gasometer to the generator.

A consideration of recognized importance in the construction of an acetylene-gas generator is that the smallest possible gas-space consistent with effective action should remain in the generator when opened for recharging. In the generator herein shown and described it is apparent that when the carbid is exhausted and fully flooded the water will rise in the gas and Water chamber until the water in said chamber and in the water-reservoir are at the same level and but a comparatively small gas-space remains above the water in the gas-chamber, and thus the requirement of a small gas space when the generator is opened for recharging is very fully met.

The seal-chamber of the gasometer is shown as divided by a partition, setting off a compartment or separate chamber 3. Said chamber 3 may be filled with hydrocarbonoil, forming a hydrocarbon oil seal through which the gas, passing over from the generator through pipe 34, Will pass on its way to the gasometer-bell through pipe 36, and in passage will take up and carry over a certain amount of hydrocarbon-oil vapor and become mixed therewith.

The feature of carbureting with gas is of importance, since acetylene-gas so carbureted is better adapted for certain purposes and may be used under conditions where the pure gas cannot be.

This apparatus in its operation is very effective, furnishing a constant supply of gas at uniform pressure. In normal action the water will stand in pipe 7 uniformly at the point of overflowing, supplying water to the carbid in exact proportion to the number of burners at which the gas is lighted, whether one or more, up to the full capacity of the generator, and if at one or more burners the gas be suddenly turned off, thereby increasing the pressure in the generator, the shield extending but little below the top of the pipe 7, the fluctuation of the water is very inconsiderable.

Having thus fully described my improved apparatus, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An acetylene-generatingapparatus, comprising a generating-chamber, an elevated water-reservoir arranged to communicate with the lower part of said generating-chamber, means supporting the carbid at various levels, liquid-inlets affording communication to the carbid at the several levels, whereby the back pressure of gas generated within the generating-chamber controls the access of water to the carbid and insures a successive generating action, agasometer, amain pipe affording communication between said generating-chamber and gasometer, a controlling-valve in said pipe, a lantern or pin-wheel operatively connected with said valve-stem, a bifurcated stem mounted upon the gasometerbell, a pawl-finger on each branch of said stem, said pawlfingers being arranged to engage said pinwheel at diametrically opposite sides, and sto1i)shoulders cooperating with said pawlfingers to limit their movements in one direction, whereby the movement of the bifurcated stem with the upward movement of the gasometer-bell operates to close the valve and the movement of the bifurcated stem downward with the gasometer-bell operates to open said valve, substantially as described.

2. An acetylene-generating apparatus comprising a generating-chambena carbid-receptacle mounted within said chamber, a waterreservoir with a communicating inlet-passage to said carbid-receptacle, said passage having an upward discharge, a gasometer, an outletpassage from said generating-chamber to said gasometer, the mouth of said outlet-passage opening downwardly at a point below said inlet-opening, whereby the pressure of gas generated within said generating-chamber operates to prevent further flow of water to said carbid-receptacle and to force the water back and down sufficiently below the mouth of said outlet-passage to permit the gas to escape to said gasometer.

3. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, carbid-receptacles mounted within said chamber, a water-reservoir with a communicating discharge into said carbidreceptacle, said discharge being upwardly at a point above the carbid, a gasometer, an outlet from said generating-chamber to said gasometer, a valve controlling the flow of gas through said outlet, said valve being operatively connected with the bell of said gasometer, a second outlet from said generatingchamber to said gasometer, said second outlet leading therefrom being provided with a downturned opening located at a point below the discharge-opening from said reservoir to said carbid-receptacle, whereby the pressure of the gas generated within said generatingchamber operates to prevent the inflow of water to said carbid-receptacle and to force the water back and down sufficiently below the downturned opening of said outlet to allow the gas to pass upwardly therethrough to said gasometer, substantially as described.

JOHN J. HENDLER.

l/Vitnesses:

O. A. LUCAS, W. H. Hnws. 

